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Southern Isles
In the Southeast of Var’Tareen there is a chain of islands loosely connected by reefs and rocks. It is a perilous place for ships and men. There are but a few ways to navigate between the islands. These routes are preciously guarded by the inhabitants. Few not from here ever have been to the center. There lies The Glass Fortress, home to Li-Shara. The isles have no central government, no cities, and no law except that which is decided by the strongest. Often this takes the form of great pirate lords who control fleets of privateers. Pirate fleets sail forth raiding the Northern countries and return to hide their treasure. The culture of the Southern Isles is very much focused on strength and the ability to defend what you have. Independence is prized above most possessions. Despite this there are few places of production here. Most equipment be it ships or swords are pillaged and modified versions of things found on the mainland. The islands themselves are covered in dense jungles and thick fogs. Monsters and beasts of the rainforests reside here. Great mystery surrounds The Southern Isles. People born here are rarely seen by those of the mainland except in combat. Pilgrims almost never travel here. And nobody save those who live here truly knows the social structure of The Isles. There are even stories of treasure and civilizations still prominent that have survived The War of Ascendance. Important Locations Crow's Harbor Crows' Harbor was the only city in the Southern Isles. It was located on the island of Piyla and was considered neutral ground. It was the home to the pirate lords, Curek, Nyshia Furrel, and Commodore March. They settled here because of The Exchange which was the center for trade in the Isles. Enva Carriel lived here studying the Isles for the Clerics of Constant Light. Glass Palace The Glass Palace was the home of Li-Shara. It lay in a calm stretch of blue water surrounded by tall grey stone with a few passages cut out. There was no fog here despite the silver mists being at their thickest just outside the rocks. The region was about a mile in diameter. In the region were many green islands on which lay a village. This village was populated by a few hundred ocean Poi’Mareath, the last of their kind. The buildings of this village were made from light colored wood and palm fronds. Palm trees grew plenty casting the area in shade. In the very center of the region was a craggy triangular castle made of grey rock spiking out from the water. The sea around it was very deep and the only way in was a small wooden bridge which could be retracted to the gaping open door. This was the home of Li-Shara. The throne room of the building was nearly two hundred feet long and had a floor made of glass to show the dark and swirling ocean below. Li-Shara sat at the end of the throne room on a chair made of jade. Karabour Karabour is the most Northwestern island placed right above the Crags of Creykeit. It is known for its three great internal lakes. These lakes are reported to be dangerous having boiling waters and man-eating fish. The Island is also known for it's giant forty foot serpents and the Great eagles of Ghendar. These eagles are huge for birds and allegedly have feathers as tough as steel. Karabour has many villages on the coast and several shipyards. The Twin Islands The Twin Islands of Sajell and Vejell are Southwest of Karabour. They are known for their rocky shores and the densest jungles in all the Isles. A thin strait runs between them but it is full of reefs and rocks. A safe path is known to only a few. These jungles are lush with cocoa, rare fruit, natural medicines, and many ruins of pre War of Ascendance civilizations. To those who journey here wealth awaits. But the trip to these islands is perhaps the most dangerous journey one can make here. For surrounding most of the islands are Sirens. Still some live here on these two isles. They are known as Twin Folk. Some claim they are a civilization from before the war. Twin Folk are considered to be the toughest and most able crewmembers. Culture A Land of Fog and Danger The Southern Isles are oft forgotten about by those on the mainland. If they are mentioned at all it is in a passing acceptance of the Isles as a far off mystic place. Few Islanders ever traveller to the mainland and few ships that sail to the South return. There are a multitude of reasons for this. The first is somewhat obvious. Many men of the Isles are pirates and marauders. They have an inherently hostile culture towards outsiders. Stolen ships frequently clash with traders and navys from the North. They often set sail to raid the Mordish coast and rarely the Roadani shores. The leaders of these raiding ships are people of all types. There is little prejudice in the pirate culture except against the weak. Anyone with strength can take the helm. The stolen goods are taken back to the Isles and used to build their port towns and train more raiders. Not all who live in the islands are pirates. But all are tough. These shows of strength are not the only cultural reason for the isolation. People of the Isles speak a strange and altered dialect of the War Tongue. In addition to thick accents there are many changed words and colloquialisms that are lost on outsiders. In fact it is so altered in some places, several linguists consider it a new language. The accent however, is not as prevelant in Crow's Harbor where many forgieners live. The next reasons for the isolation are natural. The Isles are surrounded by rocky outcroppings and reefs. Many ships can be seen run aground on these. Intimate knowledge of the individual islands is needed to successfully avoid these reefs. The Isles are also hot and full of storms. Massive waves and strange tides push ships to these reefs and their doom. Terrible tropic diseases infect outsiders and low supplies are the death of many. On the land itself huge trees grow hiding dangerous predators, terrible monsters, dangerous diseases such as the White Pox, and venomous insects. Without knowledge of these jungles the land is more dangerous than the sea. The final reason for the mystery of the Isles is the fog. At nights and in the times of dusk and dawn a thin fog covers the waters and the edges of the islands. It is not so damning on the outside lands but closer to the center of the Isles, the fog thickens so much so that visibility is reduced to ten or twenty feet. Here in the center is the Glass Palace, the home of Li-Shara. None dare enter her realm. The number of living mortals excluding the ocean Poi'Mareath, who have seen the palace and left the fogs can be counted on two hands. Only her most trusted priests visit the Keeper of the Tides. The Realm of the Tide Keeper No place but maybe Threnarau holds such a strong reverence of a specific god than the Isles. All in this place worship Li-Shara. It is by her waters that they live and die. Her seas bring treasure and terror. Her fog and her tides protects them. But most of all Li-Shara values independence over anything. And so do the Islanders. They are her people in spirit and in faith. She is the resilience that takes them through their tough life. Most consider their ships to be temples to her. Her space is revered and all the islands are her holy ground. Because Li-Shara wishes to be left alone it is taboo to sail too close to her fogs. On occasion she will leave her home and swim the waters. Where she goes, fortune to sailor follows. Occasionally fragments of this jade will wash up on beaches. This material can be used by magicians to cast spells on themselves to greater effect. Death How the dead are remembered in the Isles varies from island to island. In some more remote places, a flower is planted by the friends and family of the dead. Some people would do this once a year for nine years. In other places the family would name a tree after the deceased. Of course the pirates of the Isles tried to be remembered by the chaos they caused and the loot they plundered. Important Events In Sharus of AeP 446 Lord Keel of the Mordish Birding Society, led an expedition to the Isle in an attempt to find living enchantment rituals. The guide of the trip was Jack the Loadstar. On the trip the group first stopped on Karabour. There they fought a siren and found a mosaic of Ghendar along with a map to Piyla. They set sail for the island only to be accosted by Curek the Iron Eye. Having no choice they fled to the Glass Palace. Despite the taboo they were welcomed by Li-Shara. She warned them of the dangers of what they would find. They then went to Crow’s Harbor and finally off to follow the map. They found a vault with two living enchantment rituals. But as they set sail again they were chased by fleet of Iron Eye. They ran the fleet into the fleets of Commodore March and Nyshia Furrel. The battle ended when Jack killed Iron Eye. Keel and his group left the Isles to right themselves and the power vacuum created by the death of Iron Eye. Important People to The Southern Isles Pirate Lords * Commodore March * Curek the Iron Eye * Nyshia Furrel People born in the Isles * The Barracuda of Vejell * Daxian Byrne was from the island of Sajell * Oruc Chalishan People who Lived in the Isles * Jack the Loadstar List of Appearances Campaigns # Silver Mists and Bloody Tides Session 1: Blood Tide # Silver Mists and Bloody Tides Session 2: A Dead God Walks These Jungles # Silver Mists and Bloody Tides Session 3: Echoes of the Ancients # Silver Mists and Bloody Tides Session 4: Under the Knife # Silver Mists and Bloody Tides Session 5: As the Crow Flies # Silver Mists and Bloody Tides Session 6: An Eye For An Eye # Silver Mists and Bloody Tides Session 7: Strength, Justice, and Soul # Silver Mists and Bloody Tides Session 8: The Fury of the Isles Supplemental # SMBT Supplemental: Catalog # SMBT Supplemental: Daxian’s Thoughts # SMBT Supplemental: Jack's Journal # SMBT Supplemental: Jack’s Last Bottle # SMBT Supplemental: J’Kar’s Reflections # SMBT Supplemental: Sylvie Felt Tired Category:Locations Category:Southern Isles